We live on/near a major fault, just about a mile away. Has been sleeping for thousands of years. The football stadium at Weber State has the east bleachers built on the upslope; I used to walk to classes, that's how close it is. Our house is built of cinderblock with a brick veneer. I'm fucked.

so, hollow? if so, rebar would do no good. dang.I do know how to retrofit and make it more stable in a quake, if you ever want to go there.is your interior wood?

I can see the hollow for insulation, I suppose........but wow, didn't think it'd be strong enough just like that. Evidently I'm wrong (again).I built the walls of the hof from cinder block, but then filled with 6 sack concrete, and rebar every 8 inches, both ways..hhmm......might not insulate as well, though.

I was just thinking of how I really need to thank GPE for giving me the experience in waiting in a three hour line of cars. The two hour wait for gas at 4am was nothing!

I got gas for me and my parents and am working today and tomorrow to make sure our employees have enough.

Good to hear from you VC - how are things in your part of New Jersey?

Oh yeah - not that I expected otherwise after it survived the playa, but the crochet trash fence held up beautifully to the hurricane.

Savannah: I don't know what it is, but no thread here escapes alive. You'll get 1 or 2 real answers at minimum, occasionally 10 or 12, and then we flog it until it's unrecognizable and you can't get your deposit back.

Isn't it about quarter of midnight on the Wasatch Front earthquake clock?

If built after ~1970, don't have to worry so much. One-storey in a sandy basin, much less risk than multi-storey, unless you're next door to an tall old brick building that could drop a parapet wall or something through your roof.

Built in 1954, interior walls are plaster over lathe (plaster at least), one story over a full basement. I don't even know if it is secured to the foundation. I can always live in the lean to behind the garage, or the shed.

I was just thinking of how I really need to thank GPE for giving me the experience in waiting in a three hour line of cars. The two hour wait for gas at 4am was nothing!

I got gas for me and my parents and am working today and tomorrow to make sure our employees have enough.

Good to hear from you VC - how are things in your part of New Jersey?

Oh yeah - not that I expected otherwise after it survived the playa, but the crochet trash fence held up beautifully to the hurricane.

Hah! I hadn't even thought of that. Playa tested, Sandy approved!

We're okay. Some areas better than others. Gas is the main issue now. I just spent the last two hours getting gas for people in our office, ten gallons at a time. You can tell when a gas station is about to open when the cops show up.

A number of our people are still without power. We're letting everyone come in during the weekends to keep warm and charge their devices. My town has never been so busy or welcoming.

Ugly Dougly wrote:Try to get some star-gazing in before those bastards restore the power.

Great Idea, and it would have been awesome if the weather had cooperated but we haven't had much in the way of clear skies here. We spent most evenings last week outside with a fire to stay warm, but it was rare for any stars to be visible. Even that large moon was just a glow behind the clouds most of the time.

Savannah: I don't know what it is, but no thread here escapes alive. You'll get 1 or 2 real answers at minimum, occasionally 10 or 12, and then we flog it until it's unrecognizable and you can't get your deposit back.

Ugly Dougly wrote:* blushes *Yeah, sorry about the cloudy weather, I guess that would be expected in the wake of a hurricane.

Well it's nice and clear right now, but most of the areas surrounding us have power again so its back to the usual dozen or so stars visible.

Savannah: I don't know what it is, but no thread here escapes alive. You'll get 1 or 2 real answers at minimum, occasionally 10 or 12, and then we flog it until it's unrecognizable and you can't get your deposit back.

Ugly Dougly wrote:Try to get some star-gazing in before those bastards restore the power.

that is what i remember most about the blackout in 2003; i could see the stars at night!

The day will come when, after harnessing the ether, the winds, the tides, gravitation, we shall harness for God the energies of love. And, on that day, for the second time in the history of the world, man will have discovered fire.Chardin